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The Windows Registry controls just about every aspect of your Windows experience. Registry entries determine how Windows looks, how efficiently it works, and what you're allowed to do. Some settings can be configured with Control Panel applets, but for others you must use REGEDIT, the Registry Editor. Below are some of our favorite Registry tweaks, each marked with the appropriate platforms.

Using REGEDIT

Launch REGEDIT from the Start menu's Run dialog. A tree-style display on the left-hand side shows the five root keys (Figure 1), which we have abbreviated as follows:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = HKCR

HKEY_CURRENT_USER = HKCU

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = HKLM

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG = HKCC

HKEY_USERS = HKU

Tweaks applied incorrectly can render Windows inoperable. We do not recommend any tweaks that could do so when applied correctly, but you should always be careful when working in the Registry. After highlighting a key in REGEDIT (before you make any changes), back up its current contents by selecting Export from the Registry menu. The resulting REG file is your insurance plan. You can add descriptive comments to the REG files for your own reference; just remember to start your comment lines with a semicolon. If a tweak doesn't work, launch the REG file (by double-clicking it) to undo deletions or value changes. To undo added keys or values, you must delete them by hand. PC Magazine's RegEdit+ utility, available at www.pcmag.com/utilities, lets Windows 9x users edit the Registry with full undo capabilities.

Each tweak we list contains a key name (in bold) followed by one or more value lines or actions. If you don't see a particular key in your Registry, you can create it. If a value is absent, create a value of the specified type and name, then set the value data as shown. You may need to log off or restart before some tweaks take effect.

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About the Author

Neil Rubenking served as vice president and president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years when the IBM PC was brand new. He was present at the formation of the Association of Shareware Professionals, and served on its board of directors. In 1986, PC Magazine brought Neil on board to handle the torrent of Turbo Pascal tips submitted b... See Full Bio

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